Grille guard



Apri! 28, 194 c. M. VAN AUKEN GRILLE GUARD Filed March 18, 1940 INVENTOR.

CHARLES M. VAN AUKEN 55 W, ,77 I i ATTORNEYS Patented Apr. 28, 1942 UNITED STATES PATENT. OFFICE GRILLE GUARD Charles M. Van Auken, Highland Park, Mich. Application March 18, 1940, Serial No. 324,475

2 Claims.

The present invention relates to guard devices for the front end grilles or radiation of automobiles.

In the present day automobile, the usual construction involves placing at the front end of the 'vehicle an ornamental grille which covers the more or less unsightly radiator but permits air access thereto, and, in addition to the grille, I

- some vehicles have sheet metal parts to add to the appearance and for other purposes.

All of this front end construction is susceptible of easy breakage and consequently, in addition to the usual bumper or fender, various devices have been made for the purpose of preventing the extending parts of other vehicles passing over these bumpers and damaging the easily damaged parts. successful due to the fact that the bumpers themselves, while sufiioiently stiff to withstand direct blows are not sufficiently rigid to resist being twisted by the commonly used vertical cross member, when the blow or thrust is applied to, for example, the upper end of the member.

The present invention, therefore, has among its objects a' grille guard which will overcome the difiiculties heretofore experienced and provide against passage of the extending parts of other vehicles over the bumper and damaging the above mentioned structure.

Another object is a device which permits a limited direct backward movement of the bumper but prevents twisting the latter when force is applied above'or below the bumper.

Other objects will readily occur to those skilled in the art upon reference to the following description and the accompanying drawing in which Figure 1 is a perspective view of the front end of an automobile showing a bumper, and a device of the present invention.

Figure 2 is a side elevation of the guard but showing parts in section.

Figure 3 is a top plan view of the parts shown in Figure 2.

Figure 4 is a perspective view of a detail.

In the drawing, the front end of an automobile isshown with the fenders at I 0, the radiator grilles at H, and frontsheet metal construction at l2. All of these parts are of easily damaged character and commonly protected to some extent by a bumper I5, which is provided with a pair of vertically arranged cross members l6 intended to prevent the bumpers of other vehicles pasing over or under the bumper l5.

As stated above, however, because of the in- Most of these devices are notsumcient rigidity of the bumper 15, it frequently happens'that another bumper, in striking the upper end of a member l6, will push this back, while twisting the bumper l5, and act as a skid to actually aid the other bumper in passing over the bumper IS.

The present device, designed to prevent such result, consists of a rigid, rounded channel member 20 fixed to bumper l5, preferably in front thereof, and curved. backwardly under the bumper and receiving in its open end 2| the end of a fiat spring member 22, the othe end of which is fixed rigidly to a suitable vehicle frame member 23 by means of the clamp pins and bolts indicated as a whole at 24.

At the point where the member 20 is fixed to bumper l5, there is provided a suitable saddle piece30 having on one face suitably curved seats 3| for a member 20 and on its opposite'face seats 32 suitably shaped to conform with the face bumper l5 are clamped tightly together by twobolts 35 whose heads lie in the channel member 20 and which extend arranged to overlie the edges of bumper i5. Suitable nuts on the bolts 35 enable the fixing together of these parts.

In order to prevent lateral play between member 20 and spring 22, and permit the use of a larger spring, the rear end 2|, of member 20 is preferably flattened as indicated and these parts so fitted as to permit their relative movement.

While a slotted tube might be used for making member 2li,-it is preferred to roll up a strip of suitable fiat stock and leave the edges separated a short distance to provide a continuous opening 20a the entire length of the member. By this means adjustment of the positions of bolts 35 may be made to take care of any variation in the height or location of the bumper. It

also permits the installation of the bumper in 1. In combinationwith the horizontally arthrough the plates 86 the end of said backwardly extending lower portion. i

2. A grille guard for a vehicle having a horizontal bumper consisting o! a substantially rigid 10 rounded channel member having its edges turned inwardly, a saddle member contoured to fit said channel member and said bumper and provide {or the rigid attachment of the channel membeen to said bumper in angular relation, means 5 slidable in said channel tor clamping together the bumper. saddle and channel member, and astiflsprlng memberadaptedtobeilxedtothe vehicle and to cooperate with said channel memher to prevent the latter from tilting.

CHARLES H. VAN AUKEN. 

